A comedy show which is predominantly short sketches, often related. Also known as a Sketch Show, it's a descendant of the VarietyShow.

They usually have a stable of comic stereotypes, used in a series of sketches, with no continuity. Each show will include a few sketches about each of the iconic characters interspersed with one-off sketches.

Particularly successful sketches may be spun-off into a {{Sitcom}} or a [[TheMovie movie]] (such is the case of ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'', ''Series/TheKidsInTheHall'', and ''Series/{{SCTV}}'').

The show may include musical numbers or a stand-up act, but only as a minor element. Sometimes, when the various iconic characters are shown interacting, the show may border on being a plotless {{Sitcom}}. Conversely, a NegativeContinuity {{Sitcom}} may be accused of being a SketchShow.

Compare with VarietyShow. See also AnthologyFilm, which might be this applied to the big screen. ----!!Examples[[index]]* ''WesternAnimation/AaaghItsTheMrHellShow''* ''Series/{{Absolutely}}''* ''Series/TheAdamAndJoeShow''* ''Series/AllThat!'' was a teenage sketch comedy show on Nickelodeon, and had a movie based on the "Good Burger" sketch (featuring Kel Mitchell and Kenan Thompson). One of the cast members (Kenan Thompson) would later be a cast member for ''Saturday Night Live'' (becoming the first Nickelodeon veteran to be an ''SNL'' cast member, and the first one to be born after ''SNL'''s premiere year, 1975).* ''Series/AlmostLive''* ''Series/TheAmandaShow'', All That!'s {{Spinoff}}. Featured Taran Killam, who, like Kenan Thompson, was a Nickelodeon child star who is now a cast member on ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' and was born after ''SNL'' premiered in 1975. Unlike Thompson, however, Killam was born in 1982 and appeared on ''SNL'''s rival sketch show, ''Series/MadTv'' [[note]] becoming the youngest cast member on that show at only 19 years old[[/note]] before moving on to ''SNL''.* ''Series/TheAndyMilonakisShow''* ''Series/TheArmandoIannucciShows''* ''Series/TheArmstrongAndMillerShow''* ''Series/AtLastThe1948Show''* ''Series/TheAuntyJackShow''* ''WebVideo/BecomingYouTube'' features {{egregious}} amounts of this in its {{Mockumentary}} segments.* ''Series/TheBennyHillShow''* ''Series/TheBenStillerShow''* '' The Big Gay Sketch Show'': A sketch show on Logo that can best be described as ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' + ''Series/MadTv'' + a lot of jokes about the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning sexuality lifestyle (some of which are, according to critics, a little more well-written and not as reliant on stereotypes than what other sketch shows have done). Erica Ash and Kate [=McKinnon=] stand out as the only two cast members from this show who have moved on to others; Erica Ash was on the final season [[note]] before being remade and channel-hopping to Creator/CartoonNetwork[[/note]] of "Series/MadTv" while Kate [=McKinnon=] is now a cast member on ''SNL''.* ''Series/BigTrain''* ''Series/ABitOfFryAndLaurie''* ''[[Series/BlueCollarComedy Blue Collar TV]]'': Made by the same producers who created ''Series/MadTv''* ''Series/{{Bruiser}}''* ''Radio/TheBurkissWay''* Theatre/BYUDivineComedy* ''Series/CameraCafe''* ''Series/TheCatherineTateShow''* ''Series/ChappellesShow'': One of Creator/ComedyCentral's most popular sketch shows* ''Series/TheChasersWarOnEverything''* Creator/CheechAndChong's ''Film/StillSmokin'' and ''Get Out of My Room'' are non-television versions of this trope.* ''Series/ComeFlyWithMe''* ''Radio/{{Cowards}}''* ''Series/TheDanaCarveyShow''* ''Theatre/TheDangerousBrothers''* ''DidisComedyShow'' German sketch show series starring comedian Dieter Hallervorden.* ''Donny & Marie'': A late 1970s comedy/music variety show on Creator/{{ABC}} headlined by the Osmond family* ''Series/DrewCareysImprovAGanza''* ''The Edge and Christian Show That Totally Reeks of Awesomeness'', on the WWE Network.* ''Series/TheElectricCompany1971'' (the 1970s version featuring a young Creator/MorganFreeman[[note]]who considers the show an OldShame that he only did to get his foot in the acting door[[/note]], Creator/BillCosby[[note]]who did the show as part of his college work for his Ph.D[[/note]], and Skip Hinnant[[note]]better known as "the voice of WesternAnimation/FritzTheCat"[[/note]])* ''Series/{{Exit 57}}''* ''Series/FastAndLoose''* ''Series/FastForward''* ''Series/TheFastShow''* The work of Creator/FoilArmsAndHog , an Irish Comedy trio* ''Series/FistOfFun''* ''Radio/TheFrantics''[[/index]]* ''Fridays'', an early 1980s sketch show that aired on ABC on [[CaptainObvious Friday nights]] at 11:30pm (later moved to midnight [[ExecutiveMeddling thanks to ABC giving "Nightline" an extra day]]). Played out like ''Saturday Night Live'' with stronger writing, more pointed sociopolitical satire, a louder studio audience, and longer sketches[[note]]their magnum opus, ''The Ronnie Horror Picture Show'', clocks in at 17 minutes[[/note]]. The show had Michael Richards [[note]](yes, the same Michael Richards who played Kramer on ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}''...and later got in trouble for using the n-word during his stand-up act at the Laugh Factory)[[/note]], Larry David [[note]](the creator of ''Seinfeld'' and ''Curb Your Enthusiasm'')[[/note]], Rich Hall [[note]](an ''SNL'' cast member who was on the show during the tenth season and was the inspiration behind ''Simpsons'' character Moe Szyslak)[[/note]], and Melanie Chartoff [[note]](the voice of Didi Pickles and her mom, Minka, on ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'' and its {{Spinoff}} ''All Grown Up''; on ''Fridays'', she was [[MsFanservice the hot chick]] of the cast and the anchor for ''Friday Night News'')[[/note]] as cast members. Despite being considered the ''Cracked'' to ''Saturday Night Live'''s ''MAD'' magazine, at one point, ''Fridays'' was considered better than ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' (which, in the early 1980s, was floundering thanks to Jean Doumanian's ineptitude as show runner). ''Fridays'' lasted until 1982 after ABC failed at making ''Fridays'' a primetime sketch show instead of a late-night one, as it suffered a time change in 1981 when ABC wanted ''Nightline'' to air five days a week instead of four, due to the popularity of primetime soap opera ''Dallas''. The sequence in the movie, ''Film/ManOnTheMoon'' where Andy Kaufman (Creator/JimCarrey) fights with Michael Richards (Creator/NormMacDonald) over a sketch about covert marijuana smokers dining out at a restaurant (which turns out to be a trick cooked up by executives as a prank and to test the limits of live TV, as ''Fridays'' always did) was based on an actual moment from that show.[[index]]* ''Series/FrenchAndSaunders''* ''Series/GabbaGabba''* ''[[WebVideo/GuaranteedVideo Guaranteed* Video]]'': Creators of New Kids on the Rock, an AffectionateParody of 90s KidCom tropes, as well as assorted other comedic shorts hosted on YouTube.* ''Series/HarryAndPaul''* ''Series/HarryEnfieldAndChums''* ''Series/HeeHaw'': A long-running sketch show filled with American Southern/country humor. On the ''Simpsons'' episode where Homer becomes the manager to a struggling country singer who tries to seduce him, there was a parody of this show called ''Yahoo!''* ''Radio/HelloCheeky''* ''Series/HomoZapping''* ''Series/HorribleHistories''* ''Series/HumanGiant''* ''Hype'', a WB sketch comedy show featuring sketches that made fun of celebrities and pop culture. Lasted one season. Included then-future ''Series/MadTv'' cast members Frank Caliendo and Daniele Gaither -- and featured writing by former ''SNL'' writer and cast member Terry Sweeney [[note]]no relation to Julia Sweeney; Terry was a writer for Jean Doumanian's abysmal 1980-1981 season, was cast member during ''SNL'''s 11th season in 1985 [which almost got the show canceled due to falling ratings and audiences getting sick of the show], and is the first -- and, so far, only -- male ''SNL'' cast member who was openly gay (and had a gay lover who also worked with him as his comedy writing partner, Lanier Laney)[[/note]]* ''Series/ImportantThingsWithDemetriMartin''* ''Series/IncredibleCrew'': Creator/CartoonNetwork's last live-action original show. Features Jeremy Shada (the voice of Finn the Human on ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'') as a cast member.* ''Series/InLivingColor'' -- FOX's urban (read: black) answer to ''Series/SaturdayNightLive''. Featured Creator/JimCarrey (who originally was supposed to be a ''Saturday Night Live'' cast member), Jamie Foxx [[note]] before he became famous for more dramatic roles[[/note]], Music/JenniferLopez [[note]] as a member of the dance troupe, The Fly Girls[[/note]], and Damon Wayans [[note]] who was on ''SNL'' for a season in 1985, but got fired after playing a heterosexual character as a CampGay character, of which Creator/LorneMichaels didn't approve.[[/note]].* ''Series/InsideAmySchumer''* ''Series/{{Jam}}''* ''Series/TheJewsAreComing''* ''[[Radio/JohnFinnemoresSouvenirProgramme John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme]]''* ''Series/KDOCFirstNight'' -- a one time sketch show meant to ring in the new year for a local independent TV station, but one which gained infamy for the wrong reasons* ''Film/TheKentuckyFriedMovie'' -- Written by the ZAZ team and directed by Creator/JohnLandis. Basically a sketch comedy movie rather than AnthologyFilm, with one long segment ("A Fistful of Yen", which runs a half-hour and takes up over a third of the film), and a whole bunch of other segments which aren't any longer than six minutes apiece.* ''Series/KeyAndPeele'': Creator/ComedyCentral's latest sketch show, featuring ''Series/MadTv'''s Creator/KeeganMichaelKey and Creator/JordanPeele. This show, along with the Creator/CartoonNetwork's ''WesternAnimation/{{MAD}}'', can be considered a SpiritualSuccessor of ''Series/MadTv''.* ''Series/TheKidsInTheHall'' -- a Canadian sketch show produced by Lorne Michaels. Mark [=McKinney=] was a cast member for both this show and ''SNL''.* ''WesternAnimation/KaBlam!''* ''Series/TheLeagueOfGentlemen'' is somewhere between this and a {{Sitcom}}.* ''Series/LimmysShow''* ''Loriot'' had a hugely successful sketch show in Germany during the late 70s, and is now widely considered one of the giants of German comedy. The humor revolves mostly around people getting in slightly embarassing situations, which quickly become worse as they attempt to maintain appearances in the hope that nobody will notice, mirroring and satirizing the Zeitgeist of the decade.* ''Series/LaCaravana'' (The Caravan) from Mexico.* ''Series/LosRayosGama'' (The Gamma Rays) Puerto Rican comedy TV show dedicated to social satire.* ''Series/LittleBritain''* ''Series/MadTv'' -- ''Saturday Night Live'''s rival sketch show from 1995 to 2009. Is considered the longest-running sketch show on FOX and the longest-running [[DuelingShows dueling show]] to ''SNL''. Has a SpiritualSuccessor in the form of the Creator/CartoonNetwork sketch show ''MAD'' and Comedy Central's ''Series/KeyAndPeele'' and two cast members who have jumped ship from ''Series/MadTv'' to be on ''SNL'' ([[http://snl.jt.org/cast.php?i=JeRi Jeff Richards]] -- who lasted on ''SNL'' from 2001 to mid-2004 -- and [[http://snl.jt.org/cast.php?i=TaKi Taran Killam]] -- who joined the ''SNL'' cast in 2010 and is still on the show). It should be noted that the premise of a sketch comedy show based on ''MAD Magazine'' (be it animated, like ''WesternAnimation/{{MAD}}'', or live-action, like this show) is [[OlderThanTheyThink not exactly a new idea]]: in the early 1970s, a pilot was made for an animated sketch show based on ''MAD Magazine'', using all the artwork for their movie and TV show parodies (the pilot had parodies of ''The Godfather'' and ''Columbo''), along with their satirical pieces, like "The Parent Awards." The pilot has never aired on TV (as executives thought it wouldn't appeal to anyone) and now exists as a rare treasure that's [[KeepCirculatingTheTapes somewhere out on the Internet]].* ''Series/ManStrokeWoman'' is a British Sketch Comedy show starring Amanda Abbington, Ben Crompton, Daisy Haggard, Meredith [=MacNeill=], Nicholas Burns and Nick Frost. Many of the sketches have to do with interactions with men and women, but that isn't all there is. There are many recurring characters throughout the show, such as a man who refuses to read instructions with terrible results, a father who keeps accidentally switching his baby son with objects, and a husband whose wife keeps bringing in bizarre objects she bought and is upset when he doesn't like them. "You can never just say I look nice, can you?"* ''Radio/TheMaryWhitehouseExperience''* ''Series/TheMicallefProgram''* ''Series/MindOfMencia'': The successor to ''Chappelle's Show''. Achieved some controversy after Mencia was accused by several comics of stealing jokes in his stand-up act.* ''WesternAnimation/ModernToss''* ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'' - spawned two sketch ''movies'': ''And Now For Something Completely Different'' (a collection of favorite sketches from the series) and ''Monty Python's Meaning Of Life''. Is considered one of the most popular sketch shows listed here.** ''Live at the Hollywood Bowl'' is a cross between a sketch movie and a concert film.* ''Series/{{Mosquito}}'': Of the more surreal variety.* ''Series/MrShow'': based on the independent comedy scene of TheNineties, headed by Creator/DavidCross and Bob Odenkirk.** It received a {{revival}} in 2015 as ''Series/WithBobAndDavid'', with much of the same cast, now 15 years older.* ''Series/NoelFieldingsLuxuryComedy''* ''Series/NotOnlyButAlso''* ''Series/NotNecessarilyTheNews''* ''Series/NotTheNineOClockNews''* ''WebVideo/OldeEnglishComedy''* ''Film/TheOnionMovie''* Creator/TheOtherOnes: All their material and shows, outside of some brief audience interaction, are based on sketch comedy.* ''Series/ThePeterSerafinowiczShow''* ''Manga/PopTeamEpic'' - The Anime Adaptation. * ''Series/{{Portlandia}}'': Features Fred Armisen from ''Series/SaturdayNightLive''* ''WebVideo/PuppetPower'': Best described as ''WesternAnimation/KaBlam'' with puppets.* ''Series/{{Q}}'', a series of anarchic freeform sketch comedy shows created by and starring Creator/SpikeMilligan.* ''Series/TheRedGreenShow''* ''WesternAnimation/RightNowKapow''* ''WesternAnimation/RobotChicken'', a stop-motion [[AnimatedSeries animated]] sketch show.* ''Radio/RoyalCanadianAirFarce''* ''{{Series/Roundhouse}}'': Before ''Series/AllThat'', Nickelodeon had this sketch show on their {{Creator/SNICK}} line-up.* ''Series/RowanAndMartinsLaughIn'' — a chaotic late-1960s sketch show that, very much like ''SNL'', aired on NBC and was considered edgy and shocking in its day (unlike ''SNL'', however, ''Laugh-In'' didn't last as long). Creator/LorneMichaels wrote for ''Laugh-In'' before he created ''Saturday Night Live''. It had a one-episode {{Spinoff}} on ABC called ''Turn-On'' that was so bad, [[ShortRunner it got cancelled as quickly as it premiered]] on some affilates (other affiliates either [[MissingEpisode didn't air the show at all]] or [[OneEpisodeWonder aired the entire thing before deciding to can it]]). A second episode of ''Turn-On'' was produced but never broadcast (though some museums dedicated to TV history have shown it, often as part of exhibits dedicated to TV shows that were either really bad/bizarre, very short-lived, or practically unknown to modern audiences). [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zny4LxAC0C8 Here's a clip of the sketches that would have aired had the show continued.]]* ''Series/RutlandWeekendTelevision''* ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' — longest-running sketch show on NBC and American television in general (is now in its 42nd season); has survived everything from national crises to fluctuating pop culture trends to rival sketch shows seeking to take its place (with varying levels of success) to SeasonalRot in the form of [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks cast and crew turnover]], threats of cancellation, criticism over not hiring more minority cast members and treating their minority cast members unfairly, and fickle audiences who embrace the show one minute, then trash it the next. Is considered ''the'' place for young sketch and improv comedians and comedy writers to gain fame.* ''Series/TheSavageEye''* ''Series/SchoolOfComedy''* ''Series/{{SCTV}}'': A Canadian sketch show that was like ''Saturday Night Live'' in that it had cast members from the Creator/SecondCity improv company and aired on NBC. However, ''SCTV'' made fun of television shows (and their many cliches and tropes) and wasn't into making fun of current events, politics, social issues, race, sex, or drugs, like ''SNL'' and ''Fridays'' did. Robin Duke, Tony Rosato, and Martin Short are the only cast members from ''SCTV'' to be hired as cast members for ''Saturday Night Live''[[note]]Creator/CatherineOHara and John Candy were also asked to be cast members, but both turned down the offer. However, O'Hara and Candy hosted some episodes of ''SNL'' -- Candy hosted during the eighth season [he would have hosted again with Eugene Levy, but season 10 of ''SNL'' was affected by a WGA strike, budget cuts by the network, and plans to have the show canceled] while O'Hara hosted in the 1990s[[/note]].* ''WebAnimation/SethMacFarlanesCavalcadeOfCartoonComedy'': A [[OneEpisodeWonder one-episode]] special that aired on FOX.* ''Series/ShortRibbs'', a 1989 sketch show broadcast only in Los Angeles, featured Creator/BillyBarty, Creator/PattyMaloney and three other male dwarfs. Notable also because two of the show's writers filed separate lawsuits against Barty in small claims court for unpaid wages. Barty lost both lawsuits.* ''WebVideo/SMBCTheater'', a sketch comedy series on [=YouTube=] by the makers of ''[[Webcomic/SaturdayMorningBreakfastCereal SMBC]]''.* ''Series/SoRandom'': A retool of ''Series/SonnyWithAChance'' after Creator/DemiLovato left the show for rehab.* ''Sorry I've Got No Head''* ''Series/TheSiflAndOllyShow'': A bizarre sketch show on MTV consisting of sock puppets and very low production values.* ''Series/TheSketchShow'', both the British original and the [[ForeignRemake American remake]] that aired on FOX (and [[ScrewedByTheNetwork got canceled]]).* ''Series/SmackThePony''* ''Series/TheSmellOfReevesAndMortimer''* ''Series/SpittingImage''* ''Radio/TheStanFrebergShow'' on radio in 1957 was an earlier example.* ''Series/TheState'': An Creator/{{MTV}} sketch show/hidden camera prank show. Plays out like an early, more [[RefugeInAudacity outrageous]], yet less gross version of ''Jackass''.* ''Series/TheSteamVideoCompany''* ''Series/{{Studio 3}}'' is a children's example that airs between shows on the [=ABC3=] channel in Australia.* ''Series/StudioC'', a TV series on BYU tv featuring current and alumni members of Theatre/BYUDivineComedy.* ''Series/Switch1997'' -- [[GermanMedia German show]] spoofing various other TV programs.* ''Series/ThankGodYoureHere''* ''Series/ThatMitchellAndWebbLook''* ''Series/{{Thompson}}''* ''Series/TimAndEricAwesomeShowGreatJob'' - Sketch comedy's worst nightmare.** ''Series/CheckItOutWithDrSteveBrule'' - Sketch comedy's worst nightmare's nightmare.* ''Series/TheTraceyUllmanShow''* ''WesternAnimation/TripTank'' - A ''Creator/ComedyCentral'' animated sketch show.* ''Series/TheTwoRonnies''* ''WesternAnimation/UncleGrandpa'' is a cross between this and an animated sitcom.* ''Series/VaranTV''* ''Series/VictoriaWoodAsSeenOnTV''* ''Wacko'' -- a short-lived Saturday daytime (noon EST) show on CBS in 1977, with hosts Bo Kaprall and Creator/JulieMcWhirter.* ''Series/WasGuckstDu'' -- could be ''roughly'' described as ''Series/ChappellesShow'' in Germany, only with Turkish and Central/East Asian minorities.* The Warp Zone. A [=YouTube=] channel based around video game sketches.* ''Series/WayneAndShuster''* ''Series/TheWedge''* ''Series/WelcomeFreshmen'': A Nickelodeon sketch show featuring jokes about high school and being a teenager. Became a {{Sitcom}} in its later years, which [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks wasn't received well by its fans]].* ''Series/TheWhitestKidsUKnow'' -- an independent comedy sketch show that aired on IFC and Fuse from 2007 to 2011. Plays out like ''Monty Python'' meets ''Mr. Show''.* ''Series/WhoseLineIsItAnyway'', an {{Improv}} sketch show.* ''Series/DieWochenshow'', a NewsParody, was [[UsefulNotes/TheBerlinRepublic in Germany]] of the [[TheNineties 1990s]] and [[TheNoughties early 2000s]], the prime example for Sketch Comedy.* ''Series/WorldPeace''* ''Series/TheWrongDoor''* ''Series/{{Yeralash}}''* ''Series/YouCantDoThatOnTelevision'', a Canadian kids' sketch show which Nickelodeon's American channel imported. It was heavily inspired by ''Laugh-In''.* ''Series/YoureSkittingMe''* ''Your Show of Shows'': The televised sketch show that paved the way for such shows as ''Laugh-In'', ''Monty Python'' and ''SNL'', among others.[[/index]]----